“Hearts, Minds, and Coffee” is my first novel. I have written short stories, travel pieces, and a play entitled “The Interrogators” that won an award in the Writers Digest annual contest. I love non-fiction, history, as well as mysteries, thrillers, and especially espionage novels. My experience in Vietnam and living in Taipei and Tokyo working for Bank of America in international finance have found their way into my stories. I have worked in the real estate industry for over twenty years now emphasizing green technologies.

Born and raised in Palo Alto, California, I have lived in San Diego for over twenty-five years. My artist wife, Sharon, and our adult son, Bill, have added to my many blessings. Our two German shepherds make sure I exercise daily.

A. I like suspense and a different way of looking at a story. When I was assigned to Vietnam, I never considered the Vietnamese my enemy. I thought showing their side of the war together with anti-war soldiers would prove intriguing as opposed to just killing.

Q. Do you have any secret writing tips you’d like to share?

A. Everyone has his own methodology, so I say follow your instincts and find someone to critique your story along the way and especially after completion of the first draft. Bottom line: just write and have fun writing. The more you write, your creative mind can access a larger field of ideas and nuances that wasn’t there in the beginning. And be gentle with yourself during the process.

Q. Tell us a quirky, funny or unexpected story about you.

A. While in college I went on the first date with the girl who would two years later become my wife. We rode in my beat up old car to a restaurant. On the way home, a hose fell off in the engine and steam filled the inside of the car. It’s hard to snow one’s date when the driver is in full panic. We thought the car was on fire.

Q. What books are on your nightstand right now?

A. “The Hit” by David Baldacci, “The Bully Pulpit” by Doris Kearns Goodwin, and “The War that Ended Peace” by Margaret McMillan.

Q. What’s your favorite quote?

A. A Navajo saying: “We don’t inherit the land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”

or …. “You can never have enough of what you don’t need.”

Q. Who inspires you the most?

A. My son. He’s 42, and I’ve enjoyed each year with him. I marvel at his spirit of adventure, awareness, diversity of interests, pragmatism, and even his level of impatience (I don’t know from whom he got that). I can’t believe how 42 years passed so quickly.

Chapter 1 – January 13, 1970

From a remote valley in the highlands near Pleiku, Second Lieutenant Slater Marshall and three enlisted men took cover behind an earthen rampart. Lying prone on the cool ground one hour before sunrise, the Special Forces quartet, alone with their thoughts, waited to face a company of North Vietnamese regulars. Holding rifles loaded with blanks gave them little comfort.

Two weeks ago, the world welcomed a new year. Six months before, America put two men on the moon. None of these events impressed Slater because the government forced him into a war that he thought was wrong.

Two administrations proclaimed that our country was fighting for democracy, so families would send their sons to kill. The military proposed a goal of winning the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese. This propaganda and other programs were aimed at Congress to obtain the war’s funding.

The hearts and minds campaign sounded feasible in the States, but it didn’t work in the jungle. Each foot soldier on patrol literally fought to stay alive against a determined foe. No one was able to pause and talk about civics or international relations especially when both sides carried weapons with hair triggers.

Despite the program’s deficiencies, Slater carried the spirit of the operation and tried to reason with the enemy. His men thought he was nuts, but the tactic succeeded for a while until he realized that the village had won over his mind and his heart.

Risking their lives, he and his men set up an ambush against the NVA to protect both sides: the American soldiers to the east and the village and its coffee crop to the west. Being this brave or foolish depending on the point of view went outside the bounds of Slater’s quiet nature.

For most of his young life, he avoided confrontation and followed society’s dictates of being seen and not heard. Given his shyness, he wondered how he got into this mess. Maybe he shouldn’t have vocalized his anti-war stance during infantry training in Georgia. Maybe he should have escaped to Canada. He definitely should not have enrolled in the ROTC program at the University of Iowa.

These thoughts added to the stress of the impending battle, but he couldn’t dislodge them.

The more he reflected, the more he returned to Fort Benning where he constantly stood at attention and received verbal abuse from his commanding officer. Captain Gray stuck with him like a bad case of VD. No matter how much penicillin he took, the CO wouldn’t go away.

Chapter 2 – November 1968

“Eugene McCarthy?”

The disgust of Captain Delaney Gray III could not be greater than if he wore white sweat socks with his formal dress blue uniform.

As commanding officer of this infantry training company, he was charged to produce gung-ho, combat ready officers for assignment to Vietnam. He did not tolerate goof-offs, and in his mind Second Lieutenant Marshall was a smart-ass. The CO believed his subordinate did not take the training seriously, didn’t respect authority or chain of command.

Discipline made a man of Captain Gray at the United States Military Academy, so he would apply the same indoctrination to Slater. Gray would not tolerate any deviations from army regimen.

“You maggot. How dare you say that?”

Slater saw the captain’s face redden as hot air spurt from his throat against the cool air of the afternoon.

Dressed in tailored, starched fatigues that clung to the contour of his muscular torso, the captain despised the trainee’s nonchalant attitude. The lieutenant’s baggy fatigues and lightly polished boots did not help his cause.

“Brave men fight for your freedom, and you disrespect them.”

Second Lieutenant Marshall braced while his irate CO thundered inches from his face.

“Of all the brave men to admire, you chose Eugene McCarthy?” The captain’s jugular bulged in rhythm with every word. “That pussy, that yellow belly? He undermined the war effort.”

Slater saw from the corners of his eyes that the platoon cringed at every decibel. They were grateful that the CO was not upbraiding them. Slater tried to look intimidated so as not to encourage further tirades, but in reality he didn’t care. He hated the army, the war, and had only himself to blame. Still his answer of “Eugene McCarthy” seemed innocent enough.

The moment had started when the class congregated in an open field, preparing for a march. The CO walked among his men and asked a simple question, “Whom do you admire?”

“George Washington,” “Robert E. Lee,” “Stonewall Jackson,” came the shouts. Captain Gray looked to his right and focused on Second Lieutenant Marshall who, the CO thought, should demonstrate more enthusiasm.

Slater glanced away, hoping Captain Gray would pick someone else.

“I didn’t hear anything from you, Lieutenant,” said Gray in a bellowing voice that intimidated those around him. “Whom do you admire?”

What was so infuriating about choosing Eugene McCarthy? The senator from Minnesota displayed courage of conviction by following a principle in which he believed. He went against his own ruling party by disagreeing with Lyndon Johnson in 1968 over Vietnam. He took a political risk and ran for President against the incumbent to give Americans another option. McCarthy wanted to end the war, bring peace to America, and get the troops home. His candidacy tapped into a groundswell of support that three months later caused President Johnson to remove himself as a candidate for re-election.

Slater thought the CO’s explosion served no purpose. Why would a sane man behave this way? He knew military decorum demanded it, so he didn’t take the scolding personally. In fact, he felt he deserved this treatment. He sold himself to the devil when he accepted an ROTC scholarship. He wanted to attend college, the first in his farming family. He had no money, so accepting a military commitment of four years after graduation seemed simple enough. Then President Johnson escalated the fighting in Vietnam. Slater couldn’t bear to shoot a rabbit. Now the army was training him to kill people.

Thoughts of the past vanished, and he returned to the verbal bombardment in the present. He became impressed with his CO’s strong vocal cords. How can he erupt for such a long time? Keeping a straight face now became his primary concern.

As Captain Gray fired verbal missiles, Slater reflected on his cavalier attitude toward the military and authority. Others in his training platoon described it as rebellious. They did not describe him as a rebel. Definitely not a rebel. Not here in Fort Benning, Georgia, where the South still fought the Civil War. Slater’s aloof attitude encouraged more screaming. Did Captain Gray believe he could motivate this lieutenant by raising his voice and increasing the invective?

“Honor the traditions. Honor country. I want you to be a disciplined soldier that follows orders and contributes to the unit and to the country. Are you trying to provoke me by saying that traitor?”

Captain Gray made an imposing presence. After receiving his parachutist badge that said “Airborne” signifying his proficiency at jumping out of airplanes, he next attended the combat leadership course or Ranger school. Upon completion he earned his Ranger tab. Appointed as head of Fort Benning’s company for graduates of the Reserve Officer Training Corps, Gray was tapped for a fast track. All the trainees respected his Airborne and Ranger patches.

They knew Captain Gray would go to Vietnam after finishing this class. He would lead an infantry company, a sought-after position for Academy graduates. He would get his “command” ticket punched on what he anticipated would be a stellar career. What an opportunity. He felt so lucky: a chance to lead men, get medals, and receive promotions. His father and grandfather commanded. No peacenik was going to derail his future.

Gray said, “I’m going to turn you into a ‘strack’ soldier.” Slater had never heard this term before. The army defined it as a soldier being competent, gung-ho, and carrying out orders crisply without question. Slater defined it as a person who had a frontal lobotomy.

Captain Gray was an army brat mainly growing up around Fort Campbell, Kentucky, near the border of Tennessee. He upheld the family tradition of fealty to one’s country and served as the poster child for straight arrow. He didn’t tolerate anyone who went against God, the government, and the armed services. Those in the community took pride in his accomplishments: a role model for youth, for America, and for the values of the status quo.

Questioning the rules did not penetrate his thoughts. He did not appreciate Slater’s disregard for esprit de corps and planned to ride this second lieutenant for the remaining weeks of the class.

When Gray stopped his shouting, no one interrupted the awkward silence that followed. The burn in the captain’s cheeks lingered in the air. After a brief respite, the CO turned and yelled to the platoon, “All right men. Saddle up and move out.”

As the squads pulled together, many glanced at Slater in disapproval. Others muttered, “Who’s Eugene McCarthy?”

Slater and the platoon marched for three hours through Georgia thickets. At night, Gray put Slater on guard duty one hundred yards outside the campsite. After setting up his position and pretending to protect the platoon from enemy raccoons, he fell asleep, awakening four hours later to the snores from a nearby sentry. He couldn’t go back to sleep and faced two hours before the morning exercises. During this time he wondered if he would survive infantry training.

No way could he be the mechanical trooper that Captain Gray prized. Slater learned to question everything in his life. He believed one of America’s attributes was to search for the truth and not accept the status quo.

He thought about his hero, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran priest who questioned the Nazis from day one. Many in the German Protestant churches welcomed Hitler as a strong leader that Germany needed to replace the chaos of the Weimar Republic. Slater tried to emulate his hero’s example. He questioned the merits of his father’s beatings and questioned the Vietnam War. In his mind, the lack of obedience to authority seemed justified since those in power led the country into this futile conflict.

After the field exercise ended two days later, Captain Gray felt duty bound to inform higher echelons about his incorrigible trainee. Placing a scathing assessment in Slater’s personnel file, he described 2Lt. Marshall’s behavior as snobbish, trying to get by in his army obligation, and protesting against the war, against discipline, and against the military. The only way Captain Gray could have inflamed the message with greater poison was to write it on red paper and affix neon lights to the manila folder.

“Hearts, Minds, and Coffee” is my first novel. I have written short stories, travel pieces, and a play entitled “The Interrogators” that won an award in the Writers Digest annual contest. I love non-fiction, history, as well as mysteries, thrillers, and especially espionage novels. My experience in Vietnam and living in Taipei and Tokyo working for Bank of America in international finance have found their way into my stories. I have worked in the real estate industry for over twenty years now emphasizing green technologies.

Born and raised in Palo Alto, California, I have lived in San Diego for over twenty-five years. My artist wife, Sharon, and our adult son, Bill, have added to my many blessings. Our two German shepherds make sure I exercise daily.

When I researched my Vietnam novel, “Hearts, Minds, and Coffee,” memories surfaced that reignited my anger and frustration at my country’s politicians and appointed officials. They started a war in Vietnam based on trumped up information and then without any scruples made a patriotic call to battle. People are in prison who transgressed in a lesser fashion than these office holders.

I left Vietnam 44 years ago and still feel rage at leaders who are supposed to serve the people. When the war went badly and the truth of their folly was revealed, they didn’t recant and accept responsibility. Instead they stubbornly kept the lies in place and allowed the younger generation to be drafted, become casualties, and even receive abuse when they returned home. What cowards.

The ill-treatment and disrespect Vietnam soldiers received from their own citizens goes against our society’s fabric. Some may disagree with my opinions, but they can’t take issue with the wrongs that continue today. Hundreds of thousands of Vietnam veterans still can’t get benefits and receive medical attention owed to them. Same with Iraqi and Afghani veterans although some improvement has started.

Sufferers of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from the Vietnam war go untreated. PTSB wasn’t identified until 1980. Despite court cases favoring the vets, they still can’t get government to provide treatment. What’s wrong with this situation. Is the U.S.A. number one or not?

Since I’m ranting, let me address one other topic. Everyone honors, as I do, the tremendous job of the American soldiers. Today they are volunteers. The draft remains in dormancy. One assumes the soldier’s employer will watch over them as any reputable business would take care of its employees. So why do the current vets from Afghanistan and Iraq have to wait 1-2 years for treatment?

This dereliction of duty applies to Republicans and Democrats, so we shouldn’t take pot shots at either side. Instead we should unite and insist that our men be taken care of, that Congress should act. If they don’t, vote them out regardless of party affiliation.

Another fact: more suicides by our servicemen occur when they return home than are killed in battle in the Middle East. Does this bother anyone? One way to stop this frightening statistic is to reduce the number of deployments. It is criminal to send someone on more than one assignment to a war zone without returning for three years or more to regain equilibrium. I had just one 12 month non-combatant assignment, and it took me a few years to adjust. If the military insists on multi deployments without a proper stateside respite, then we shouldn’t be fighting in the first place.

“Hearts, Minds, and Coffee” is my first novel. I have written short stories, travel pieces, and a play entitled “The Interrogators” that won an award in the Writers Digest annual contest. I love non-fiction, history, as well as mysteries, thrillers, and especially espionage novels. My experience in Vietnam and living in Taipei and Tokyo working for Bank of America in international finance have found their way into my stories. I have worked in the real estate industry for over twenty years now emphasizing green technologies.

Born and raised in Palo Alto, California, I have lived in San Diego for over twenty-five years. My artist wife, Sharon, and our adult son, Bill, have added to my many blessings. Our two German shepherds make sure I exercise daily.

Benjamin Disraeli has always fascinated me. He was the only British prime minister of Jewish ancestry although he converted to the Anglican Church at age twelve. In class conscious England in the 19th Century, his rise seems unimaginable. Yet despite being a dandy, an author, and not attending the elite schools, he led the Conservative or Tory Party and vied for political leadership of his country against William Gladstone, the leader of the Liberal Party or Whigs. The aristocratic Gladstone possessed a proper education, gilded upbringing, and a certain arrogance.

They were dynamic politicians who hated each other, but the rivalry made for incisive witticisms. Just as Winston Churchill is renown for his humorous repartee, Disraeli included a subtle sense of humor in his eloquent speeches. The jokes usually were hurled at Gladstone’s expense. I’m sure you have heard some of them, but the remarks still remain amusing and immortal.

On a political campaign, Disraeli was asked: “How would you describe Mr. Gladstone?”

Disraeli replied: “He is a young, sophisticated rhetorician who is inebriated by the exuberance of his own verbosity.”

On another occasion, Disraeli was asked what was the difference between a misfortune and a calamity. He said, “If Mr. Gladstone fell into the Thames, that would be a misfortune; and if anybody pulled him out, that would be a calamity.”

Once at a social gathering, Gladstone said to Disraeli, “I predict, sir, that you will die either by hanging or of some vile disease”.

Mr. Disraeli coined many wise phrases and aphorisms that apply to today’s political environment such as, “Ignorance never settles a question,” and “It is much easier to be critical than to be correct.”

And finally, another engaging comment: The recently appointed bishop to the Court of Queen Victoria was very keen to make a grand impression with his first sermon and asked Benjamin Disraeli for advice. “How long, Mr Prime Minister, do you think my sermon should last?” he inquired.

“A most perplexing question to answer,” said Disraeli.

“Generally, I should say that if you preach for forty minutes, Her Majesty will be satisfied; for thirty minutes, she will be delighted; if you preach for only fifteen minutes, Her Majesty will be enthusiastic.”

“Hearts, Minds, and Coffee” is my first novel. I have written short stories, travel pieces, and a play entitled “The Interrogators” that won an award in the Writers Digest annual contest. I love non-fiction, history, as well as mysteries, thrillers, and especially espionage novels. My experience in Vietnam and living in Taipei and Tokyo working for Bank of America in international finance have found their way into my stories. I have worked in the real estate industry for over twenty years now emphasizing green technologies.

Born and raised in Palo Alto, California, I have lived in San Diego for over twenty-five years. My artist wife, Sharon, and our adult son, Bill, have added to my many blessings. Our two German shepherds make sure I exercise daily.

In my previous writing about King George VI of Great Britain who ruled from 1936-1952, I gushed in admiration about his ability to restore the prestige of the crown and to become a symbol of national resistance during World War II. The movie, “The King’s Speech” focused on his speaking impediment and how he overcame this handicap. While this story line provided great drama which hooked me, the movie-going public might have missed the eloquence of the speech itself.

The speech announced to the British public and Commonwealth that Great Britain had declared war on Germany. Its purpose was to explain the action and gain support in this historic moment. The speech below is not only inspiring but motivational. It was delivered on September 3, 1939 just after Germany invaded Poland:

In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in our history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and overseas, this message, spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold and speak to you myself.

For the second time in the lives of most of us, we are at war.

Over and over again, we have tried to find a peaceful way out of the differences between ourselves and those who are now our enemies; but it has been in vain.

We have been forced into a conflict, for we are called, with our allies, to meet the challenge of a principle which, if it were to prevail, would be fatal to any civilized order in the world.

It is a principle which permits a state, in the selfish pursuit of power, to disregard its treaties and its solemn pledges, which sanctions the use of force or threat of force against the sovereignty and independence of other states.

Such a principle, stripped of all disguise, is surely the mere primitive doctrine that might is right, and if this principle were established through the world, the freedom of our own country and of the whole British Commonwealth of nations would be in danger.

But far more than this, the peoples of the world would be kept in bondage of fear, and all hopes of settled peace and of the security, of justice and liberty, among nations, would be ended.

This is the ultimate issue which confronts us. For the sake of all that we ourselves hold dear, and of the world order and peace, it is unthinkable that we should refuse to meet the challenge.

It is to this high purpose that I now call my people at home, and my peoples across the seas, who will make our cause their own.

I ask them to stand calm and firm and united in this time of trial.

The task will be hard. There may be dark days ahead, and war can no longer be confined to the battlefield, but we can only do the right as we see the right, and reverently commit our cause to God. If one and all we keep resolutely faithful to it, ready for whatever service or sacrifice it may demand, then with God’s help, we shall prevail.

May He bless and keep us all.

“Hearts, Minds, and Coffee” is my first novel. I have written short stories, travel pieces, and a play entitled “The Interrogators” that won an award in the Writers Digest annual contest. I love non-fiction, history, as well as mysteries, thrillers, and especially espionage novels. My experience in Vietnam and living in Taipei and Tokyo working for Bank of America in international finance have found their way into my stories. I have worked in the real estate industry for over twenty years now emphasizing green technologies.

Born and raised in Palo Alto, California, I have lived in San Diego for over twenty-five years. My artist wife, Sharon, and our adult son, Bill, have added to my many blessings. Our two German shepherds make sure I exercise daily.

Ever wonder why World War I started? 32,000 books have addressed the issue. School books attribute the four year slaughter to an assassination of an Austrian duke when he visited Serbia. I couldn’t believe one killing could cause so much death and ruin. More reasons had to exist. It took me years in pursuit of the answer, but I found it in Margaret MacMillan’s magnificent book published in 2013 titled, “The War that Ended Peace.” Aside from incidents from one hundred years ago, she compared some of those past events to our present situation. Many similarities unfortunately exist apart from the regal thrones.

If you love history, you’ll appreciate her well chronicled interplay between the European nations and their leaders. The book reads like a thriller. I’m in awe of her extensive research as she describes the fragile alliances, false beliefs, and the inept attempts of government aristocrats to hoist a nation’s pride and prestige over common sense.

Miscommunication played its usual role in this great conflict despite royal family ties in three countries. Three kings were grandchildren of Queen Victoria. Instead of facilitating closer communication, the opposite occurred: suspicions were enhanced rather than reduced. The cousins were King Edward VII of Great Britain, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, and Tsar Nicolas II who married Victoria’s granddaughter, Alexandra.

Dr. MacMillan, a professor at Oxford became a New York Times best seller for “Paris 1919: Six Months that Changed the World.”

Pointing to blame from a 21st Century point of view is easy: Monday morning quarterbacking excels because we can see what the sovereigns could not. The leader in each country thought they would clobber their enemies in a short war. They didn’t look beyond their myopic ignorance of the world.

Despite peace protests back then, people in many countries wanted war, even a preventative war to clear the air. This desire was supported by the military, absolute governments, nationalism, Social Darwinism, cult of the offensive, Slavs versus Teutons. The heads of state in the end ignored peace and its benefits and opted for war as though it were inevitable.

The German leaders among others tended to see threats rather than opportunities. They were fearful of the liberal element at home and encirclement abroad, basically afraid of losing their power. If Bismarck were alive, he’d find a way to bring sanity to all sides. I like his quote: “A preventative war is like committing suicide out of fear of death.”

After Dr. MacMillan’s enthralling narrative, the author arrived at two conclusions. First, the leaders failed to anticipate the destruction of war and second, their lack of courage to stand up to those who said there was no choice left but to go to war. As she wrote, “There are always choices.”

She used President Kennedy as a prime example during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. He resisted the strong recommendations of his military to attack Cuba. He opted for the diplomatic alternative and kept force as a last resort. It was fortunate for us that he did.

Today’s political world has shown that some prefer the military option first. I hope they read Margaret MacMillan’s book and consider the cataclysmic repercussions of embracing that faulty frame of mind.

“Hearts, Minds, and Coffee” is my first novel. I have written short stories, travel pieces, and a play entitled “The Interrogators” that won an award in the Writers Digest annual contest. I love non-fiction, history, as well as mysteries, thrillers, and especially espionage novels. My experience in Vietnam and living in Taipei and Tokyo working for Bank of America in international finance have found their way into my stories. I have worked in the real estate industry for over twenty years now emphasizing green technologies.

Born and raised in Palo Alto, California, I have lived in San Diego for over twenty-five years. My artist wife, Sharon, and our adult son, Bill, have added to my many blessings. Our two German shepherds make sure I exercise daily.

]]>http://iheartbookreviews.com/author-blog/book-review-the-war-that-ended-peace/feed/0Chapter excerpt: 10 Things I Wish I Knew In High School by Sarah E. Galimorehttp://iheartbookreviews.com/book-excerpt/chapter-excerpt-10-things-i-wish-i-knew-in-high-school-by-sarah-e-galimore/
http://iheartbookreviews.com/book-excerpt/chapter-excerpt-10-things-i-wish-i-knew-in-high-school-by-sarah-e-galimore/#commentsSun, 19 Jan 2014 21:16:23 +0000reviewerhttp://iheartbookreviews.com/?p=4721About the book, 10 Things I Wish I Knew In High School:

Colleges and employers continue to grapple with the fact that students in the United States are not prepared for the demands of higher education and the workforce. Students scramble to figure out where to go to school, how to get in, what to study, and how to pay for their education, one of the most important investments of their life. Education is a complex but highly valued system. It’s a pathway to opportunities in life and a cornerstone of economic prosperity, but far too many students get lost along the way.

What can students do to make sure they get the most out of their education? In this unfiltered, non-academic, and straight to the point personal essay, students are challenged to ask tough questions about their education and personal goals. They are provided insights based on the experiences of a young professional who has been where they are, and has a few thoughts on how to get them where they want to be.

Chapter excerpt: 10 Things I Wish I Knew In High School

Finding academic success and career satisfaction

By Sarah E. Galimore

Seven: What’s It Worth?

Education is an investment. There are different strategies with varying rates of return.

I wish I had known how to compare the total cost of my post-secondary education against what I could expect to receive in return. Would all the money I shelled out be worth it? How does one determine the value of a college degree? It’s not an easy question to answer but it’s certainly something I wish I’d thought about more carefully while in high school.

So I’d like to revisit the concept of exploring your educational options and extend the continuum of thought beyond the boundaries of high school because the concept is applicable to post-secondary education. There are multiple pathways to success and options to consider when it comes to scoping out a path for your post-secondary educational pursuits.

To frame what’s about to follow, let me clarify that I do not and will not subscribe to a school of thought that maintains a particular path is right or wrong, good or bad, or more likely to lead to greater success. I do however abide by the perspective that when it comes to education, the road taken is just that; a road that like many others, can take you to your destination, just via a different route. It is more important to establish clarity of direction and vision, informed by your ideology and preferences, to serve as a means of finding the path that is best for you.

Education is viewed by many as an investment and given the exponential rise in the cost of a degree, the value of this investment is subject to scrutiny. The big question: is college worth the cost? The answer is yes, it most often is. Numerous studies leave little doubt that in general, you’re better off with a college degree. However, this should not minimize the need to engage in this type of scrutiny.

If your strategy to get where you’re going is to invest in a college degree, does it not make sense to fully understand all the factors? Should you go the community college route or directly to a four-year institution?

What might the variance in experience and outcomes be at a public university vs. a private? How much are you willing to invest—most likely in the form of debt? These are just a few points of consideration that should be evaluated as your plans for college are developed.

What you invest and your strategy is only part of the equation. The other side of the coin is the expected rate of return. If you’re going to allocate a certain amount of money over a specific time period, via selected vehicles, what will that investment yield? By what metrics are you going to determine if the risk was worth the reward? By what guidelines do you determine if the gains were worth your time and money? When it comes to financial investing, these areas are closely scrutinized and I don’t know of anyone who makes such decisions without clear visibility to potential returns.

Some would scoff at what may appear to be an oversimplified and narrow analogy as a basis of comparison in the college decision-making process, and are quick to point out the broader, intrinsic and invaluable rewards of the collegiate experience. A more enlightened approach is to focus on the experience, the opportunity to explore oneself and delve into stores of wisdom preserved within the sacred ivory towers of academia.

Fair enough, but just remember that colleges and universities aren’t making admissions decisions solely based on a desire to provide as many students as possible with the collegiate experience. They too have finite resources that must be allocated in a manner that ensures their overall success as an institution. The decision-making process for the thousands of applications received is multivariate, based on specific, agreed upon objectives and targets, and judiciously executed in alignment with those objectives.

If colleges are evaluating you based on several factors and assessing what you will bring to their community, you should return the favor. Don’t immediately go to college, simply because it’s the thing to do after high school. Don’t select a college without having thought through all of the dimensions that will determine its value to you. Education is an investment and you should treat it as such.

Let’s pause from the commentary and examine in tangible terms why this matters. Why it’s important to at least consider the different pathways to higher education and why it’s risky to overlook the specific nuances that impact how your degree positions you in the marketplace. We’ll start with a story and then look at some facts.

The story is an abbreviated retelling of the tale of two siblings. It starts in a tiny village in upstate New York that a happily married couple called home. Though born and raised in the south, not too long after Johnny, their first child, was born, they moved up north and settled into comfortable country living.

Two years later, to their complete and indescribable joy, they welcomed their daughter, Jannie, into the world. Johnny and Jannie grew quickly. Even as toddlers, it was clear they were very different in their make up. Mom and dad enjoyed watching their personalities develop and made every effort to encourage their individual interests and pursuits. Encourage, support and indulge they did, but certainly not without challenges.

Johnny was a confirmed technophile quite early in his youth. Toasters dismantled and phones ripped apart, dad eventually recognized that unless he gave Johnny electronics and gadgets to play with, he would end up replacing household appliances on a rather frequent basis. Johnny had a gift and an insatiable curiosity about how things worked, particularly electronics.

He was a kinesthetic learner, more apt to explore and engage through hands-on interaction, so much so that it was a consistent up-hill battle to get Johnny to complete any of his school work. Jannie on the other the hand, excelled in school. Through reading, writing and visualization, she thrived in various learning environments. Time passed quickly and soon, it was time for Johnny to depart and make his way in the real world.

To the dismay of many, Johnny refused to go to college. His grades were reasonably good. Somehow, by showing up for class and doing well on exams, Johnny had an average GPA. College was an option, but he was resolute in his decision, weathering his fair share of pressure and ridicule.

Despite sarcastic comments from peers, like “you’re going to be taking out the garbage here when my kids are in school,” Johnny felt that college was not the appropriate path for him. Mom and dad supported his decision to an extent. They suggested that he continue to evaluate his progress and in a year or two reconsider going to college. Johnny did evaluate, several times, but he never went to college.

Jannie however, couldn’t get to college quick enough. She poured herself into her school work and extracurricular activities. She was diligent in her studies, working to ensure the quality of her work was the best possible. There was never any question of whether or not Jannie was going to college. It was just a matter of when and where. When graduation rolled around, Jannie was ready and looking forward to the experience ahead.

Throughout the ensuing years, mom and dad continued to support their children in many ways, encouraging them in all their career pursuits and dreams. It was with great pride that they watched their children blossom in their adulthood and forge respectful, rewarding and productive lives. Indeed, that’s what every parent hopes for their child and they want to place them on the path that will get them there.

In the case of Johnny and Jannie, just how did their paths compare? Where are they today? Well, I can tell you because as you may have surmised, this is my story! My older brother, the eldest in the family, did not go to college. Here’s a snap shot at where the different paths led my older brother and I.

To Go or Not To Go…is that the question?

A college degree doesn’t guarantee your success in life, no more than not going to college equates to guaranteed failure. It all depends. There are too many variables that factor into the formula for success to make such assertions. It’s up to every student to first determine what they hope to accomplish out of life, what they are willing to sacrifice and invest along the way, and then to identify the most appropriate strategy in light of those criteria.

Blindly trying to get into a school based on one or two factors may be a bit naive in my opinion. I could have gone to community college and completed my first two years completely free. I could have gone to a public university for a general business administration degree, but the private, four-year institution allure reeled me right in.

That was my first criterion. I wanted to go to a private school. My second criterion was distance, to be able to go home whenever I wanted and stay active with my family. My final criterion was cost. Though my dad said that whatever school I wanted to go to, he would make it happen, I didn’t want to put undue burden on the family coffers.

Though I certainly put thought into this process, the scope of my analysis was far too narrow. There were many areas left unexplored, uncalculated impacts of various factors and implications for my future that I never considered. I wish I had treated this decision more like an investment, working through the different strategies and likely returns.

Before we close this chapter, I want to provide you with some facts:

The latest data reveals that fewer than half—only 44%—of employed college graduates are working in jobs that require a degree.19

The unemployment rate for 20 to 29 year olds who had graduated from college in 2011 was 12.6%.20 Unemployment for those 25 and younger with at least a Bachelor’s degree was only 3.8% as of July 2013, but note that employment and unemployment rates don’t factor in those who have gone back to school (often because they can’t find jobs) or have dropped out of the labor force.21

A NACE survey of 2012 graduates found that only 25.5% had found a job before graduation.22

Among adults ages 18 to 29, 42% of college graduates were living with their parents.23

Based on a recent Fidelity survey of 750 college graduates, students have on average $32,500 in college-related debt. 39% of respondents said they would have done things differently and 12% said their college education did not justify the burden.24

According to the Department of Education, fewer than 40% of students who enter college each year graduate within four years.25

They say luck is when opportunity meets preparedness. If that’s true, then a lot of college students are rather unlucky, given persistence rates and other insights that point to the struggles that plague students entering college and the workplace. So what do you do? Nearly every indicator says your chances are better with a college degree. But how do you reconcile the insights from some of the other statistics that are out there? Start by asking the right questions.

“The quality of our lives is directly related to the quality of the questions we ask.”
—Tony Robbins

That’s what we’re really after right? A decent quality of life. Well, luck has nothing to do with it and higher education may or may not be the panacea you seek. Whether or not you go to college should not be the focus of your inquiry and decision-making process. You should be educating yourself on the realities of the world in which we live; the skills employers need, the problems requiring solutions, the determinants of success. You should be aware of the areas in which you thrive, areas in need of improvement, the sacrifices you’re willing to make, and where exactly you see yourself after graduating.

Ask the right questions, find the right answers and get with a program that’s right for you. An investment without a well devised strategy isn’t an investment at all. It’s speculation.

Reflective Moment:What’s your definition of success? What’s your strategy to achieve that success and the best vehicle to get you there?

Sarah Galimore is the founder of an online educational community dedicated to providing affordable, comprehensive and forward-thinking academic and career planning services. For the past ten years Sarah has worked in a variety of roles, garnering diverse experience in market research, strategy and planning, program management and consulting. She’s worked with a variety of organizations, from small not-for-profits to large financial institutions. She hopes to combine her professional experience and her interest in education to support students in making the most of their educational opportunities.

A. I simply want to help students achieve academic success and career satisfaction. That’s why I started Education Planning Partners and I was gearing up to launch my online educational community, I felt that writing a book would be a good way to share the thoughts, ideas and philosophy behind Education Planning Partners. I thought it would be a fun way to share our message and give students and parents some tips on how to make the most of the educational opportunities available.

Q. Do you have any secret writing tips you’d like to share?

A. As a first-time author, I don’t really feel qualified to share any tips. I guess thing that struck me the most in writing my book, is how important it is not to underestimate the complexity of the writing process. Give yourself time to digest what you’ve written, what you want to say through your words and how you want them received. It takes time and a lot of good feedback to produce a finished book. Don’t rush it.

Q. Tell us a quirky, funny or unexpected story about you.

A. Something happened this summer that made me realize just how busy my life had become. My sister and I were invited to a weekend camping trip up in Canada, near Quebec. It was about a six hour drive from our home in New York. We packed up and left early one afternoon on a lovely summer day and headed north. We made it across the border and headed into the mountains where we soon got lost. Dusk turned to dark and after stopping a couple of times for directions – the GPS just wasn’t helping – we finally found the road to the camping site. It was pitch black, wooded, creepy and deserted. Not a soul in sight. By this time, we were getting worried and thought perhaps we were even more lost than we thought. We happened to pass by the care-taker’s cabin and they were able clear the whole matter up. The camping trip was scheduled for the following weekend. Yep, I drove all the way to Canada on the wrong weekend.

Q. What books are on your nightstand right now?

A. None right now. They are all on my bookshelves since my fall clean-up! I read anything I find interesting. My most recent fascinating read was DRIVE by Daniel Pink.

Q. What’s your favorite quote?

A. I really can’t point to a favorite. If you read my book, you’ll understand why.

Q. Who inspires you the most?

A. My mom and dad for sure. They’ve been an inspiration throughout my life

]]>http://iheartbookreviews.com/author-profile/author-profile-sarah-e-galimore/feed/0The Future of Education: Do You See What I See?http://iheartbookreviews.com/author-blog/the-future-of-education-do-you-see-what-i-see/
http://iheartbookreviews.com/author-blog/the-future-of-education-do-you-see-what-i-see/#commentsFri, 17 Jan 2014 21:04:29 +0000reviewerhttp://iheartbookreviews.com/?p=4715My sister is an elementary school teacher. For years, the stories she’s shared about life in the classroom with her impressionable little charges, have been a source of humor and pure joy for me and my family. The things her students say and do are simply hilarious. At the same time, some of the stories bring a degree of sadness to my heart. They illustrate aspects of the educational process that trouble me and from my rather simple philosophy on education, they potentially represent dynamics that threaten the institution and what it’s meant to accomplish.

One particular story comes to mind and I think it’s because there was such a visceral emotion when I first heard it, even though it was shared as a humorous anecdote. My sister was teaching first grade at a rural school district. Her class had undergone some pretty intense preparation for testing. During one assignment, a student put his pencil down, started rubbing his forehead and said, “Ms. Galimore, my brain hurts.” I thought it was pretty cute but at the same time I thought, a first grader shouldn’t feel that his brain hurts. There’s a fine line between challenging students and stressing them out. Between guiding someone to new heights and forcibly pushing them even when they aren’t ready. I realize the delicate nature of balancing academic outcomes and the student experience, but my intuition tells me we should give greater weight to the experience.

Recently, as I sat next to my sister as she prepared lesson plans for her current class, I happened to glimpse a math worksheet. A couple of the questions read as follows:

1. Draw an area model to solve the following. Find the value of the following expressions.

a. 30 x 60 b. 3 x 269

2. Use any place value strategy to multiply.

a. 3 x 68 b. 4 x 371

Perhaps I am slow when it comes to math, but I don’t know what an area model or place value strategy is. I looked through some of the other Common Core math module assessments and some of it seems pretty advanced for fourth grade. What does it mean that at this moment, I might not be able to pass a fourth grade math exam? What does it mean if I can’t help a fourth grader complete his or her homework? Quite frankly, it’s a puzzling line of thinking and I am struggling to reconcile the stated desires of many education reformers to improve student engagement, academic outcomes and student success, with the overall solutions being implemented right now.

What do you think about the future of education? What do you see? When I think about what school may look like years from now, when the children I will one day have are ready to attend, I have mixed emotions. I understand the need to help students reach their full potential. I understand the importance of setting high standards and ensuring appropriate rigor in our educational programs. But I also believe that if we turn students against the educational experience and leave them with a sense that learning is stressful, pointless, hard, and makes them feel stupid, we will move further away from the mission before us.

I recall the wonderful experiences and opportunities I had throughout grade school, middle school and high school. I recall the excitement of the first day of school, amazing teachers whom I loved, the generous latitude afforded my insatiable curiosity, and the engaging extracurricular programs in which I participated. But apparently, that’s all in the past and no longer sufficiently rigorous. The future of education, the ultimate direction it will take, remains unclear at present. However, as I wager to guess what that future looks like, do you know what I see?

I see my sister’s first grader whose brain hurt, only this time, my sister’s brain is hurting too.

————

Sarah Galimore is the founder of an online educational community dedicated to providing affordable, comprehensive and forward-thinking academic and career planning services. For the past ten years Sarah has worked in a variety of roles, garnering diverse experience in market research, strategy and planning, program management and consulting. She’s worked with a variety of organizations, from small not-for-profits to large financial institutions. She hopes to combine her professional experience and her interest in education to support students in making the most of their educational opportunities. You can learn more about her work by visiting www.eppinspires.com.

]]>http://iheartbookreviews.com/author-blog/the-future-of-education-do-you-see-what-i-see/feed/0The 3 R’s of College Debt: Rising Costs, Risks, and Returnshttp://iheartbookreviews.com/author-blog/the-3-rs-of-college-debt-rising-costs-risks-and-returns/
http://iheartbookreviews.com/author-blog/the-3-rs-of-college-debt-rising-costs-risks-and-returns/#commentsThu, 16 Jan 2014 20:59:41 +0000reviewerhttp://iheartbookreviews.com/?p=4712Loaded down. Enormous. Crushing. Bankrupting. Stressful. Problematic. These are words often used in conjunction with descriptions of one of the most important investments we will ever make. Before we even contemplate owning a house, buying our dream car, the wedding and honeymoon, and any other major expense, most of us have already committed thousands of dollars to our post-secondary education. Once committed, there is no turning back, regardless of how the investment pans out. Oh, and by the way, most of us are making this decision as teenagers, at a point in time when we most likely haven’t a clue what investing even means.

I remember contemplating where to go to school, the costs associated, and the experience I could anticipate. I know for a fact, no one ever used those words in describing what college debt could potentially mean. No one ever told me how to critically evaluate the college selection decision. My mom and dad did advise me to go to the local community college where I had a free ride due to my academic performance. But what do parents know about college, right? Wrong. I wish I had listened to their wisdom. They had been where I was but more importantly, they knew how the real world operated. They understood the cost of living, the time it takes to get established in a career, the critical points when it would be nice to have additional resources on hand, and the responsibility associated with any sort of debt. These are all factors that students should be fully apprised of and well-educated about but unfortunately, most students are not.

In my book, 10 Things I Wish I Knew In High School, I devote an entire chapter to the cost vs. value debate when it comes to a college education. The perspectives out there vary and the opinions, experiences and admonishments are as diverse as the world in which we live. The best thing a student can do to ensure they avoid spending huge amounts of money with little to no return in terms of job prospects, good salaries, and career advancement, is to get informed. Ask the right questions and access the right type of information, to make a decisions that will yield the desired results. Here are a few points to get started, what I like to call the 3 R’s of College Debt:

Rising Costs. You can expect your college expenses to rise each year. So six years from the day you start school – since traditional four year degrees now take six years to complete – you will graduate with much more debt than you may have expected. This is compounded by the fact that for some loans (Unsubsidized Stafford loans) you start accruing interest as soon as the loan is disbursed. So all during school you’re being charged for the privilege of borrowing for education.

Risks. You’re going to make sacrifices for your education. What are you willing to give up? After graduating, a huge portion of your life will be devoted to making sure you can make your loan payments. If you don’t, the government will find you, garnish your wages and make sure you do. There may not be much left for anything else. You’re going to be entering a job market that can be brutal for new graduates and you may have to take what you can find, regardless of whether or not it’s what you went to school for. The likelihood of even completing your degree is not the best and most likely it will take you much longer than you anticipated, which potentially means more debt.

Returns. What do you expect in return for your degree? There is only one thing I guarantee on this point: there is no guarantee you’re going to get what you expect. It all depends. You should know what it actually depends on.

We always hear about the benefits of college and the truth is irrefutable. The good news is so pervasive that many students don’t even question whether or not they are going to college. It’s just a matter of if, when, and where. While laudable, that’s only part of the picture. The other parts are not very well-understood and they’re entitled to the complete picture.

If by chance you’re a high school student reading this post, take some free advice from a young professional who spent about $60,000 for her college education only to find that she would have done just as well career-wise for half that price. Before you decide which college you want to attend, do your homework and make sure you know just how you will evaluate the total value. It is likely one of the most important assignments you’ll ever complete because education is an investment. An investment without a well devised strategy isn’t an investment at all. It’s speculation.

———–

Sarah Galimore is the founder of an online educational community dedicated to providing affordable, comprehensive and forward-thinking academic and career planning services. For the past ten years Sarah has worked in a variety of roles, garnering diverse experience in market research, strategy and planning, program management and consulting. She’s worked with a variety of organizations, from small not-for-profits to large financial institutions. She hopes to combine her professional experience and her interest in education to support students in making the most of their educational opportunities. You can learn more about her work by visiting www.eppinspires.com.